Mai Tai

Mai Tai is a Dutch female vocal group formed in Amsterdam in 1983, originally consisting of singers Jetty Weels, Mildred Douglas and Caroline de Windt. Created by producers Eric van Tijn and Jochem Fluitsma, the group's sound is rooted in the European soul, funk and disco-pop of the 1980s, with a strong influence from the Anglo-American dance scene. Their style is characterized by powerful vocal harmonies, driving electronic rhythms and funk bass lines, which quickly set them apart on the international scene. Mai Tai enjoyed immediate success with tracks like "History" (1985), which became a hit in Europe (#9 in the Netherlands), the UK (#8) and even the USA, reaching #3 in the dance charts. Other tracks, such as "Body and Soul" (no. 23) and "Female Intuition" (no. 12) consolidated their image as a sophisticated yet accessible dance band, with sounds firmly rooted in the decade's club aesthetic. Despite several line-up changes over the years, the group remains active, revisiting its classics and pursuing a career that straddles the diva nostalgia and contemporary scene. Mai Tai remains an emblematic figure of the 1980s female dance scene, pioneering the emergence of an exportable, resolutely international Dutch pop sound.